


where i found you (request)

by redbirb



Series: Tumblr Requests 2020 [1]
Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, DCU, DCU (Comics), Red Robin (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bookstore, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Fluff, M/M, Multi, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-14
Updated: 2020-10-14
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:08:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,169
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27015535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/redbirb/pseuds/redbirb
Summary: They were handsome newcomers and it wasn’t unexpected for fellow customers to gawk at their arrival. That also went for employees too.A finger tapped his chin, breaking his gaze. “You’re staring.”“Shut up, you pointed them out,” Tim grouses, moving to refill their decorative pen case.
Relationships: Tim Drake/Dick Grayson/Jason Todd
Series: Tumblr Requests 2020 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1971637
Comments: 12
Kudos: 178





	where i found you (request)

**Author's Note:**

> This was a request I got on tumblr from an anon : _"Hello, can I get Tim centric fluffly au? Any type of relationship of au would be cool!"_.
> 
> Took some creative liberties with this. Sorry it doesn't have as much fluff as it could, but I might expand on this someday, it's a cute idea.

Tim scrunches his nose.

The mark around his wrist, an intricate swirl shaped into what he believes is a bird’s head, itches something fierce today. This has been ongoing for about three weeks, coming and going at random, distracting him from his studies and part-time job. Tim isn’t sure where the source is coming from, and by source he means his soulmate, as indicated by the mark itself being the center nuisance.

He’s tried to look around, see who else may be looking at their wrist and wondering why there’s this buzzing under their skin too. He’s seen no signs, no one has approached him, and Tim is left alone and doubtful.

Maybe it’s a fluke? He’s heard it happens, that even with a mark that doesn’t mean a soulmate is waiting for you. Greymates, like his parents, found each other when they learned each of their soulmates had already passed before they could find them. They seemed happy, at least Tim hoped so, and he would find happiness too whichever way his love life ended up.

“You look mad,” Stephanie pokes his cheek, the frown on his face smudged by the pushing of skin.

He swats at her, leaning away. “I’m not mad, I’m just confused.”

She purses her lips, pointing down at his wrist covered by a sleeve (he hates showing it off, it makes him too self-conscious). “How bad is it? Like it’s under your skin?”

Steph would know, she met her soulmate in middle school, a quiet girl named Cass that had befriended Tim as quickly as her girlfriend had. Their mark was a circle with natural birthmarks in the middle, a cute symbol to show off. Steph had complained about the itching, how it had driven her up a wall the whole week until she figured out why.

“I don’t know,” Tim says honestly, because how are you supposed to know a regular itch from an extraordinary itch? “It just itches. I have no idea if it’s because of _that_ or not.”

“You’ll know,” Steph says ominously. “Stop sulking, hotties at 12 o’clock.”

“Which ones?” Tim attempts a subtle look over his shoulder.

There’s been a number of good-looking people who’ve come through _Flip A Page_ ’s bookstore. There’s the man with an eyepatch that comes in every once in a blue moon, around his father’s age, with white hair and a strong jaw, the perfect image of a sugar daddy. A blonde young woman who frequented often, a literature major that liked sugar cookies and tying her hair back in a ponytail. Tim’s personal favorite was a leather jacket wearing stud that had introduced himself as Conner, accompanying the blonde woman once or twice, mentioned something about being cousins, and had been heavy on the flirting when he bought a paperback of _Great Expectations_.

He expects it to be Conner and his cousin (Clara? Claire? Something with a ‘kuh’), but it’s two men he noticed coming in about a week ago. They always come in together, branching off to different sections and reconvening to buy whatever they had picked out.

The taller of the two, often smirking for seemingly no reason other than natural smugness, was fond of horror classics like _Frankenstein_ and _The Turn of the Screw_ , and had come back twice last week to browse their collection again. His most striking feature was the lone white stripe in his raven black hair and Steph had bet he dyed it that way, joked it made him look closer to a skunk than a punk.

The shorter, but not by much, had the smile of a toothpaste commercial spokesperson, pearly white and nearly blinding with friendly intention. Tim had talked to him once while checking the two companions out, flushing a little bit under the short attention as they exchanged change and made usual customer-cashier small talk. He was less aloof, making a quip about the posters and paintings they hung around the store.

They were handsome newcomers and it wasn’t unexpected for fellow customers to gawk at their arrival. That also went for employees too.

A finger tapped his chin, breaking his gaze. “You’re staring.”

“Shut up, you pointed them out,” Tim grouses, moving to refill their decorative pen case.

It’s a short visit by them today as it doesn’t take long for the two to come towards the counter to be rung up. Stephanie has drifted off to speak to another regular, leaving Tim to defend himself against his growing attraction.

“Nice to see you again,” a glance to his pristine nametag,” Tim.”

Tim smiles, reaching for one of the books. The companion is beside him, examining one of the booklets they keep about a reader's youth organization the store collects donations for. He doesn’t seem interested in knowing Tim’s name. “Nice to see you too, Mister,” Tim pauses, lifting the book,” Darcy.”

There’s a snort, but Tim doesn’t look away, fascinated by the abashed look he’s receiving. “Well, you hear that, Jay? I’m Mister Darcy.”

“Yeah, and I’m Dracula,” says ‘Jay’, rolling his eyes and pointing to the other book on the counter.  
Tim scans it next, printing the receipt and bagging the items. He expects that to be it, but apparently not.

“I have a question before we go,” says Mister Darcy. “I see you have chairs and small tables set up in your store. I was wondering if you allow paying customers to sit and read?”

“Dick,” spoke Jay, he almost sounded embarrassed,” don’t bother him.”

“You can,” Tim hurriedly nods. Who is he to pass up a chance to have them come and stay? “You don’t have to buy anything to do that. We do ask for donations, if you can.”

“You see, I’m a playwright -”

“Oh my god, Dick, please.”

“You’re a playwright?” Tim can’t help his gaping. Handsome and talented!

“Yes actually,” Dick, as he’s been called, looks like he wants to say more, but a mischievous glance at Jay distracts him. “And Jay here is a filmmaker.”

“S’not -” Jay looks away, clearly embarrassed by Dick’s smile and Tim’s questioning eyes, and mumbles. “I’m still a student. It’s not my job or anythin’.”

“He’s almost graduated,” Dick continues proudly. “He’ll be making the coolest movies you’ve ever seen soon!”

Tim shyly twiddles a pen in his hand. “I’m in school for photography.”

That catches Jay’s attention. “You work with a camera?”

“I like being able to capture something in real time. Feels more… personal, you know?”

Jay looks at him with a new appreciation, curiosity replacing boredom. “Shit, yeah, I feel that too.”

“Well, we won’t keep you,” Dick cuts in. “Thank you for the books, we’ll be back and next time we might stick around.”

“Sure! That, uh, that’d be more than fine!”

Tim watches them go, face a raging furnace. He hopes they’ll be back, wondering if Dick won’t mind some questions about being a playwright or what sorts of cameras Jay uses. He smiles to himself secretively, absently scratching at his wrist.

**Author's Note:**

> If you've made it this far, thanks for reading! :) I'm currently working on some Halloween/October prompts and taking requests over on my [tumblr](https://rainbowredrobin.tumblr.com/). Follow me sneak peaks to chapters and other writing stuff. Feel free to ask me questions or tell me what you think!
> 
> As of 9/20/2020 I am taking writing requests! You can find the post explaining how it works [HERE](https://rainbowredrobin.tumblr.com/post/629633548447612928/requests-are-open-for-an-undetermined-amount-of).


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